Rapp on Jazz

Many of the innovators who shaped bebop’s explosive new sound had deep roots in the Carolinas. They brought with them the rhythms of the South, the spirituals of the church, and the blues traditions that defined their communities.

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From the early days of jazz, a remarkable musical exchange flowed across the Atlantic—connecting the creativity of Harlem with the cultural embrace of Paris.

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Detroit has long been a powerhouse in American industry—and in American jazz. In the mid-20th century, the Motor City’s working-class neighborhoods produced a wave of extraordinary musicians who shaped the sound of modern jazz.

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Jazz is constantly evolving—shaped by fresh voices and new waves of creativity. Today, two powerful movements are commanding attention: the return of the alto sax to center stage, and a rising generation of innovative vocalists.

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Alice Coltrane’s music is a journey -- one that extends far beyond jazz tradition into the realms of spirit and transcendence. After her husband, John Coltrane, died,  she devoted herself to exploring sound as a path to healing and enlightenment.

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Duke Ellington, one of jazz’s greatest composers, believed his music had a higher purpose. In the 1960s and ’70s, he created a bold and visionary series of Sacred Concerts—large-scale works that blended jazz orchestra, choir, soloists, and dance. 

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In the late 1950s, jazz legend Mary Lou Williams underwent a profound spiritual transformation that reshaped her music and mission. Out of that calling emerged her groundbreaking sacred works—compositions that blended jazz with liturgical tradition.

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Jazz and hip-hop share a deep, creative lineage, even though they emerged decades apart. Hip-hop artists have long drawn inspiration from jazz’s rhythm, improvisation, and harmonic complexity. 

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DuBose Heyward’s most significant artistic legacy came from the world he created in his novel Porgy. Written in 1925, the book inspired a Broadway play, adapted by Heyward and his wife, Dorothy, and later became the foundation for Gershwin’s legendary opera Porgy and Bess. 

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DuBose Heyward helped shape one of the most iconic works in American musical history. Born in Charleston in 1885, Heyward came from an old, respected South Carolina family. 

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